Can Surgery Fix a High-Pitched Voice?

What to do when the voice doesn’t change with age

The voice changes with age. That’s a common truth. But in some cases, the voice doesn’t change as an individual would like, and that can lead to stress, discomfort and even anxiety.

It’s not rare for men with a high-pitched voice to look for ways to change that. For those individuals, there’s a simple outpatient procedure called a thyroplasty that can help.

Here’s why someone might notice a high-pitched voice in the first place.

During male puberty, the cartilage around the larynx (or voice box) usually thickens in a specific process.

Sometimes, this doesn’t occur as one would like. This can force the vocal cords to stretch too tightly, resulting in a high-pitched voice.

There may be a medical reason

In some cases, vocal cord paralysis, nodules or polyps can cause a high-pitched voice — but those factors usually cause the voice to sound breathy, too. It’s important to talk to a specialist to determine the root cause.

Performed under local anesthesia, a thyroplasty is a simple surgical procedure that involves a small neck incision, usually about 1 inch. Through this incision, a surgeon removes a thin strip of cartilage from the outer larynx (voice box). This helps the vocal cords relax and can help lower the voice, in turn.

After a thyroplasty, patients often experience a hoarse voice for about a week, but the results should be noticed quickly after.

If you have any questions about thyroplasty, or other options to address a high-pitched voice, feel free to contact us anytime. We’ll be here to help when you need it.

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